Daily Mail Immigration History Fail

The legendarily foul mouthed Paul Dacre is clearly concerned about what is being taught in all those state schools that he has avoided sending his children to: today’s edition of Daily Mail Comment, the authentic voice of the Vagina Monologue, has taken up the cudgels on the subject of history, and more specifically that of migration, where he suspects the potential for foul play.

What's f***ing wrong with telling schools what to teach, c***?!? Er, with the greatest of respect, Mr Jay

“From the earliest times, immigration has played a central role in shaping the story of our maritime nation. Indeed, there can barely be a British citizen alive without ancestors from overseas – whether Saxon, Roman, Jewish, Irish, Indian, African or from anywhere else” tells the editorial grandly. One might almost believe that the Mail’s editor is mellowing on the subject.

Indeed, it continues “So we cautiously welcome the proposal, reported yesterday, for teenagers to have lessons in 2,000 years of migration to Britain as part of a new history GCSE”. Well, of course, as the new and of course tougher GCSE has been approved by none other than Michael “Oiky” Gove, whose wife is now a Mail columnist. But then the mood darkens.

“One reservation. If properly taught, this field of study will indeed add hugely to students’ understanding of our past and what made us the people we are today ... But isn’t it all too easy to see how the Left-wing educational Establishment could hijack such a course to indoctrinate pupils into believing all immigration is a blessing, while its opponents are invariably evil?” Yes, a Straight-A f*** right off there.

A curriculum is just that: you can’t have a “right-wing” or “left-wing” version of it. GCSEs are significantly about factual recall: how on earth do you “hijack” facts? And on top of that is the assumption that something called the “educational Establishment” (note choice of capitalisation) leans one way or the other. There is a message coming from Dacre here, and it soon becomes clear.

“Yes, teachers must stress the huge contribution overseas settlers have made. But they shouldn’t shrink from examining the social tensions immigration has engendered, the strain on public services, or how even small-scale arrivals have often taken decades to integrate ... Above all, they should resist any temptation to suggest the demographic upheaval of the past 15 years is something we’ve experienced comfortably before”. Got that message?

The message can be put directly: history, in order to gain the approval of the Mail’s editor, must be taught in accordance with principles defined by Himself Personally Now. That means the Mail’s version of history automatically becomes the received and acceptable wisdom, whatever may be in the curriculum.

Do as Dacre says, teachers, or expect more abuse from the Mail. No change there.